The big transaction banks are becoming increasingly active in the B2B marketplace as they seek to cash in on corporate digital transformation.

Pouncing on a firm with lots of corporate broking relationships at the low point for IPOs is a smart trade.

Lots of big lenders claim to be great at serving entrepreneurs. In reality, however, most are not as good at doing this as they would have you believe. Meeting the needs of owners of thriving businesses can be complex, tricky and costly. It requires patience and a well-considered strategy, and a good many banks have neither.

The COO of Deutsche Bank’s International Private Bank, Sandra Wirfs, tells Euromoney how it has been able not just to slash costs but also to make its wealth management business more cost-efficient than the core bank.

The German bank’s strong third-quarter earnings are a partial result of forming a new international private bank division two years ago, honing it and continuing to invest in the strategy.

This year has seen banks report markdowns on leveraged finance commitments and related exposures, something that is hardly surprising given what has happened to yields. But even with syndicates struggling to offload some high-profile big deals, the troubles seem oddly muted so far.

As European and Chinese banks scale back in Africa to cut costs and redeploy capital to core markets, Middle East lenders are happily jumping in to fill the gap, buying assets and putting more boots on the ground as bilateral trade between the regions increases.

One of the architects of Deutsche Bank’s corporate and investment bank leaves a complex legacy.

If Russia stops the gas this winter, the damage to European banks will be worse than Covid, and Germany will be at the centre of the storm.

The results of this year’s Euromoney FX survey highlight the value of long-term strategic investment in forex.

The first three months of the year have been tough for many investment banking business lines, but Europe’s banks are putting up a good fight against the might of the US firms.

The European Central Bank has radical suggestions for ending AT1 conversion triggers and allowing only profitable banks to pay coupons. This could make these instruments riskier than equity.

The ‘Subject matter expert for fine art lending’ has the kind of job everyone wants: appraising art and helping the wealthy borrow against a private collection. But he tells Euromoney that it involves a great deal of time observing, listening and figuring out what the client wants.

Now back at single-A with both leading rating agencies, Deutsche hopes to win more business and improve margins as investors await their share of the returns.

A second large AT1 deal this year shows increased investor confidence around the bank’s transformation, but timing the deal was tricky.

Societe Generale’s decision to launch a joint treasury management solution with Kyriba is just the latest example of banks and technology vendors collaborating to offer more sophisticated treasury functionality.

Deutsche Bank’s restructuring has not been thrown off course by the pandemic, but upside surprises can hide risks. Discipline will be needed to avoid the temptations of the past.

This time last year, Euromoney recognized progress at Deutsche Bank as the best transformation story of 2020. Twelve months on, the German lender might be getting its act together at last. Can it sustain its recovery?

Two years ago, Deutsche pulled back in ECM. Now, in Asia, it wants back in.

Recent reports concerning a payment made by Deutsche Bank to Europe’s largest winery are a reminder that disputes over FX derivatives mis-selling have yet to run their course.

The big question remains when governments will return to fiscal consolidation. How will NPLs fare when taxpayer support is withdrawn is also in doubt.

Banks are slowly realising the commercial promise of data and data analytics products, but there is still a long way to go for many institutions to move beyond services that deliver limited business insight.

This year’s FX survey reflects huge disruption and transition across the industry. Pandemic-driven technological advances saw traders tackle a surge in business while working remotely – supercharging change that will permanently alter the way the industry operates.

A reported $1 billion score from distressed debt trading could encourage banks to look for risky ways to boost earnings.

With Goldman and AmBank behind it, Malaysia aims further afield with lawsuits.

The leading FX banks have introduced notable enhancements to their electronic trading platforms in recent months in an attempt to make them more attractive to traders that are still working away from their offices.

While doubling of profit at the investment bank stood out, it was not the bank’s only strong performer.

With Deutsche Bank apparently turning its fortunes around globally, expectations are high for Asia to deliver growth at the fastest rate of all its operations. Asia CEO Alex von zur Mühlen tells Euromoney he wants to use the bank’s footprint and diversity of revenues to get the job done.

The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted corporates to look afresh at automation and efficiency in their processes. Deutsche Bank sees a gap – even in currency-restricted markets.

Euromoney’s 2021 trade finance survey reflects an unprecedented year for the industry.